Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd said Steve Clarke’s side “did the nation proud” after they kept their Euro 2024 last 16 hopes alive with a draw against Switzerland.
The Sky Sports pundit labelled their 5-1 defeat to Germany in the tournament opener as “embarrassing” but was quick to heap praise on the players after their much-improved performance in their second Group A match.
A win against Hungary on Sunday would likely see Scotland progress beyond the group stages at a major tournament for the first time.
Kris Boyd says Scotland ‘did the nation proud’ as they secured a first point of Euro 2024 with a draw against Switzerland
They went in front early on when Scott McTominay dispatched Callum McGregor’s cut-back, via a deflection off Fabian Schar, following a rapid counter-attack.
Switzerland soon levelled through veteran Xherdan Shaqiri, who produced a brilliant, first-time finish from the edge of the box after pouncing on Anthony Ralston’s loose pass.
“There were questions and criticism after the performance on Friday night and rightly so,” Boyd told Sky Sports News.
“Tonight they’ve responded and it’s been more like Scotland, right in their faces.
Kris Boyd celebrates Scotland’s opener against Switzerland in their crucial Euro 2024 group match
“Switzerland are no mugs at this level but they’ve more than matched them and they come away with a draw.
“Yes they rode their luck at times but I think Steve Clarke will be relatively happy with that result.
“From where we were on Friday night there had to be a response and we’ve got that this evening.
“There were probably a few harsh words flying around the training ground over the last few days, but that’s life of a footballer. There are ups and downs.
“Scotland have shown they can compete at this level. It’s a quick turnaround but they’ve done the nation proud tonight.”
Clarke: We got what we expected
Steve Clarke insisted that was more like it from Scotland as his side kept alive their hopes of reaching the Euro 2024 knockout stages after drawing 1-1 with Switzerland in their second group game
Scotland manager Steve Clarke:
“That’s what we expected. This is the way we’ve been playing as a team the last three or four years and it’s why we’re here at a major tournament.
“We knew what we had to do, the players knew what they had to do. I thought it was a good team performance against a good opponent.
“It’s just about doing better all the time. Sometimes as a footballer or a manager it doesn’t go your way, and it certainly didn’t go our way on Friday night. Tonight was just about getting back to what we’re good at.
“The reality is, when the draw was made and we were drawn against the host nation in the opening game, you’re looking at the second two games in the group and thinking ‘maybe that’s where the points are going to come from’ and that’s the way it’s turned out.”
Aston Villa have agreed a deal with Chelsea for left-back Ian Maatsen.
The fee for the 22-year-old is understood to be to be between £35m and £40m and it will rise with add-ons.
Maatsen will sign a six-year deal at Villa Park with personal terms not expected to be an issue.
Maatsen had a £35m release clause.
Borussia Dortmund were keen on signing the left-back on a permanent deal after his successful loan spell at the Bundesliga club last season.
He made 16 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring two goals, and featured seven times for the German club in the Champions League, finding the net once.
Image: Maatsen made 16 Bundesliga appearances on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season
However, as it stands, last season’s Champions League runners-up are unable to meet the release clause in Maatsen’s contract.
More to follow…
Ian Maatsen made a big impression in the Bundesliga during his short spell on loan at Borussia Dortmund
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Aidan O’Brien completed a one-two in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot as Illinois fended off stablemate Highbury in a battling finish.
The 7/4 favourite was also providing Ryan Moore with his 80th Royal Ascot winner and he is now just one behind Frankie Dettori, who holds the record for current jockeys (81) and is second on the all-time list behind Lester Piggott’s 116 landmark.
Illinois, second to subsequent Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby Trial, disputed the lead with Mr Hampstead for much of the 1m 6f Group Two contest before going for home early in the straight.
Highbury, ridden by Wayne Lordan, mounted a strong late challenge but Illinois held on to score by a length and a quarter despite drifting left in the closing stages.
Birdman completed a clean sweep for Ireland as he claimed third place, three-quarters of a length further back, ahead of Meydaan.
O’Brien, also responsible for fifth-placed The Equator – said: “We felt any three of them could win, but Ryan made the decision on this one. When Diego (Velazquez) got rerouted to the King Edward VII Stakes, this horse got rerouted to here.
“Ryan felt he would stay. He felt when he got beat at Leopardstown it was the ground and he felt he was very green when he went to Lingfield.
Image: Illinois crosses the line at Ascot under Moore
“Obviously, all those types of horses had a much easier time than they would normally have because they would be steered into the Derby, but when City (Of Troy) was there, it gave all these horses a chance to develop slowly.
“He’s obviously a Leger-type horse and is going to improve from three to four.”
Andy Murray secured a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory over Alexei Popyrin at the cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club, moving him through to the last 16.
It was a passionate and hard-fought victory for Murray in what was his 1,000th professional tennis match, ramping up the home crowd in front of whom he has won the tournament on five occasions.
The 37-year-old continued his preparation for Wimbledon with only his second victory at The Queen’s Club since he last won the tournament in 2016.
Murray took the first set 6-3 but Popyrin fought back in the second to win 6-3 and take the match to a decider.
However, the two-time Wimbledon champion stood resolute, taking the deciding set to 4-1, Popyrin fighting back to bring it to 4-2, before Murray ground it out to 6-3 and secured a crucial win.
Murray, who is reportedly set to retire either after Wimbledon or the Olympics this summer, said: “I’ve not got too many wins this year, it’s been a difficult season, and I did well to come through in the end.
“Any win you can get is important, that’s why we play. With Wimbledon a few weeks away I want to get some matches in my legs and some confidence. It’s great to get another win here.”
Murray has struggled with an ankle injury and a back issue this year to add to fact that he is still competing at the top level with a metal hip.
He added: “I’ve felt better! But it was enough today.
“My mum told me it was my 1,000th match and that’s a lot of matches, a lot of wear and tear on the body and it’s not easy, but I managed to push through it.”
Carlos Alcaraz began the defence of his cinch Championship crown with a straight-sets win over Francisco Cerundolo.
The reigning king of Queen’s, and Wimbledon champion, stretched his winning streak on grass to 13 matches with a 6-1 7-5 victory.
World No 26 Cerundolo was last seen pushing Novak Djokovic to five sets, and subsequently into a hospital bed, at the French Open.
The Argentinian proved a minor irritant to Alcaraz, too, by breaking the world No 2 early in the second set.
Alcaraz had to fend off three set points at 4-5 before the Spanish superstar wrapped up victory in an hour and 22 minutes.
Jannik Sinner survived a first-set scare on his World No. 1 debut against Tallon Griekspoor at the Halle Open
Meanwhile, Italy’s Jannik Sinner made it five wins out of five against Tallon Griekspoor on Tuesday – and in the process booked his place in the last 16 at the Halle Open.
Sinner pulls off a superb dive to break serve against Griekspoor
The top seed and Roland Garros semi-finalist, Sinner was making his season debut on grass – by no means his favourite surface.
Dutchman Griekspoor edged the opener before falling away 6-7 6-3 6-2.
Sinner’s venomous serve breaks the net against Griekspoor
Brit watch: Evans retires as Draper victorious at Queen’s
Britain’s Dan Evans had to retire from his first-round match at the cinch Championships through injury.
The 34-year-old had shared the opening two sets with America’s Brandon Nakashima when he slipped and fell at the back of the court.
After a medical time-out and lengthy treatment to his right leg, Evans was forced to withdraw, a worrying sight with Wimbledon less than two weeks away.
He was the second player to retire after slipping on the grass at Queen’s Club this week, with Frances Tiafoe injuring his hip on Monday.
Dan Evans’ frustrations with umpire Mohamed Lahyanat during his match at the Rome Masters against Fabio Fognini mirrors a very similar experience for Andy Murray almost one year ago
“I’m worried, no doubt,” Evans said. “I mean, a good thing, I thought it was my groin. That settled down pretty much straight away.
“But I think it’s MCL, sort of a bit inside of the knee. There is an issue there, that’s for sure after the testing so far with the physios.
“So I’ve got to wait 48 hours, let it settle, and then get a scan. I’m worried. That’s the bottom line, of course. I’m in limbo a bit.
“It’s frustrating. If I miss the Olympics or Wimbledon it would be a tough one to swallow, no doubt.
“I don’t know. I’m just heartbroken at the minute to be honest. It’s tough.”
On the back of his Boss Open victory, Jack Draper continued on his winning streak with a 6-3 6-2 win over Mariano Navone.
A look back at the story of Jack Draper’s sensational victory at the Stuttgart Open.
Draper clinched the win in rapid time, just a few days after his first ATP Tour title.
There was also good news for British wildcard Billy Harris.
The 29-year-old from Nottingham picked up the biggest win of his career by beating world No 32 Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4 3-6 6-3.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours
In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.
Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
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England squeezed into the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup to keep their title defence alive.
Here is all you need to know ahead of round two in the Caribbean, including when and where England play, the full fixture list, and how the format works.
Who are these ‘Super 8’ and what happens next?
Other than England, the teams still standing are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, India, South Africa, USA and West Indies, with the eight sides split into two groups of four.
Group 1 – India, Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh
Group 2 – USA, West Indies, South Africa, England
Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain believes England have everything in place to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup
In the Super 8s, each side plays the others in their pool once with the top two in each group reaching the semi-finals.
The winners of Group 1 will play the second-placed side in Group 2 in the semi-finals and vice versa.
Which Super 8 group teams advanced into was pre-determined to help with scheduling.
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand were the three seeded teams not to qualify for the second round, beaten to spots by USA, Bangladesh and Afghanistan respectively.
Image: England are still in with a chance of successfully defending the T20 World Cup title they won in Australia in 2022
When and where do England play?
Thursday, June 20: vs West Indies – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (1.30am) Friday, June 21: vs South Africa – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (3.30pm) Sunday, June 23: vs USA – Bridgetown, Barbados (3.30pm)
All times are UK and Ireland.
England scraped into the Super 8s, you say?
They sure did.
A rain-off against Scotland in Barbados – a match in which their opponents pounced on bowling and fielding errors to reach 90-0 from 10 overs before the weather had the final say – was followed by a 36-run defeat to Australia at the same venue as they conceded a whopping 70 runs in the first five overs.
Highlights of England’s win over Oman at the T20 World Cup, as they sprinted to a chase of 48 in just 3.1 overs
Jos Buttler’s side’s hopes of progressing into the next phase were hanging by the proverbial thread but they then dismantled Oman – razing the associate nation for 47 before completing the run chase in just 19 balls to, crucially, take their net run rate above Scotland’s.
They then managed to beat the rain and Namibia in Antigua on Saturday, comfortably winning a 10-over-a-side encounter by 41 runs on DLS after initially fearing a tournament-ending washout, before attention turned to Australia vs Scotland in St Lucia hours later.
Highlights of England’s much-needed win over Namibia at the T20 World Cup as they triumphed by 41 runs on DLS
An Australia win and England were through. Anything else and they were out.
Buttler’s boys would have been jittery as Scotland posted 180-5, even more so when Australia needed 89 runs from the final seven overs, but the 2021 champions then went into overdrive, with Travis Head (68 off 49), Marcus Stoinis (59 off 29) and Tim David (24no off 14) taking Australia to victory with two balls to spare.
After numerous scares, England had advanced.
Highlights from St Lucia as Australia beat Scotland by five wickets to eliminate their opponents from the T20 World Cup and ensure England’s progression
What is the full Super 8 fixture list?
Voila!
Wednesday June 19
USA vs South Africa – North Sound, Antigua (3.30pm)
Thursday June 20
West Indies vs England – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (1.30am)
Afghanistan vs India – Bridgetown, Barbados (3.30pm)
Friday June 21
Australia vs Bangladesh – North Sound, Antigua (1.30am)
England vs South Africa – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (3.30pm)
Saturday June 22
West Indies vs USA – Bridgetown, Barbados (1.30am)
India vs Bangladesh – North Sound, Antigua (3.30pm)
Sunday June 23
Afghanistan vs Australia – Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1.30am)
USA vs England – Bridgetown, Barbados (3.30pm)
Monday June 24
West Indies vs South Africa – North Sound, Antigua (1.30am)
Australia vs India – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (3.30pm)
Tuesday June 25
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh – Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1.30am)
How can I follow the action across Sky Sports?
Every game is live on Sky Sports Cricket, while there will also be live blogs of all 3.30pm fixtures across skysports.com and the Sky Sports App.
Sky Sports’ digital platforms will also provide match reports, reaction, analysis and video highlights.
Ahead of England vs Namibia Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain, Eoin Morgan and Ian Ward were soaked by the Antigua rain
When are the semi-finals and final?
Thursday June 27
Semi-final #1 – Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago (1.30am)
Semi-final #2 – Providence, Guyana (3.30pm)
Saturday June 29
Final – Bridgetown, Barbados (3.30pm)
If India reach the last four, they will play in the second semi-final as that is at a more friendly time (8pm India) for their country’s TV audience than the first semi-final (6am India).
Catch every match from the T20 World Cup, including the final in Barbados on Saturday June 29, live on Sky Sports.
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Image: N’Golo Kante was man of the match as France beat Austria
France have an abundance of young midfield talent in Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelin Tchouameni and Warren Zaire-Emery, yet still picked N’Golo Kante.
Many saw that call as a surprise given the 33-year-old now plays for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, but it took just 90 minutes of France’s opening 1-0 win at Euro 2024 against Austria to see why Didier Deschamps got it right, once again.
Kante rolled back the years with a vintage display that looked exhausting from the outside. No France player won more tackles than the midfielder, with only William Saliba making more ball recoveries and winning more possessions in the defensive and middle thirds of the pitch.
The most important intervention came five minutes from time when Patrick Wimmer burst through after picking Saliba’s pocket. But covering the ground again was Kante.
The France midfielder also put his team-mates through on goal three times against Austria. His greatest skill of being unbelievably ubiquitous at both ends of the pitch has not faded.
“It was like a younger version of himself,” said Roy Keane of Kante’s display. That younger version won the World Cup with France six years ago. He may just be crucial in a bid to add the European Championships to that collection. Sam Blitz
Rangnick’s pressing offers Austria hope
Belgium are the only one of the fancied teams to suffer a setback so far in this European Championship but it has been encouraging to see so few sides setting up in a deep block and hoping to hold on. Austria came to impose their game on France.
It was easy to see why they had lost only one of their previous 16 matches coming into their Group D opener, a team revitalised under former Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick. They certainly looked well coached by the German.
Image: Austria made 27 tackles in their Euro 2024 game against France
Austria made more tackles in the first half against France than any other team in this tournament has made in a full match so far. It summed up their front-foot approach. Only a lack of individual quality prevented them from causing an upset.
The pressing challenged France throughout and it was a more entertaining match as a result. Kylian Mbappe had space to work with but the only difference between the sides was Max Wober’s own goal. Christoph Baumgartner really should have scored.
With Poland and the Netherlands to come, Austria should not be discouraged. To an extent, their plan work. They are well capable of getting out of Group D if they are able to maintain that intensity in the next two games. This tournament will be better for it. Adam Bate
Lunin’s lapse in concentration proves costly
Image: Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was at fault for two goals
One of the big decisions facing Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the Champions League final earlier this month was whether to stick with Andriy Lunin, the Ukraine goalkeeper, ahead of Thibaut Courtois.
At least, it was a topic of conversation in the media. Not for Ancelotti, who kept his cards close to his chest on the eve of Real Madrid’s encounter with Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
As it transpired, Courtois was entrusted with the gloves and the Belgian showed just why he is the Italian’s first choice when fit. Unfortunately for Lunin, his deficiencies were exposed by a rampant Romania in his first appearance since losing his place in the Madrid side.
Image: Ukraine extended their record of most games played at the UEFA European Championship without keeping a single clean sheet (12). They’ve also failed to score in 67% of their games at the EUROs (8/12), the highest rate of any nation to take part in mor
When faced with an intense press, the 25-year-old was sloppy with the ball at his feet as Nicolae Stanciu emphatically punished him with a sweeping finish into the top corner.
His second mistake was even less excusable as he allowed Razvan Marin’s speculative shot to flash underneath his body.
Serhiy Rebrov’s side paid dearly for their inability to convert their early possession into any real chances, as Romania soaked up the pressure and then struck on the counter after dispossessing Ukraine deep in their own half.
Ukraine were quarter-finalists at the last European Championships despite losing two of their three group games. All hope is not lost, as Rebrov said afterwards. But he must make a decision already on whether to stick or twist with Lunin. Ben Grounds
Dragusin leads Romania to famous win
Image: Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin excelled for Romania as they stunned Ukraine
In an admittedly quiet January, Radu Dragusin’s £26.7m move to Tottenham was the largest of the Premier League’s transfer window.
The centre-back was limited to just four league starts following his arrival. But as Romania earned their first win at a major tournament for 24 years, Spurs fans saw why their club invested so heavily in the Genoa defender.
Dragusin was outstanding in Munich. Every time Ukraine ventured into dangerous areas, they found the dominant 22-year-old in their way.
He made 10 clearances – twice as many as any other player – constantly positioning himself to quell the threat of Mykhailo Mudryk, Artem Dovbyk and Georgiy Sudakov.
It wasn’t just Dragusin – the entire Romania team bought into the game plan, sacrificing possession and protecting their area with admirable determination, before punishing Ukraine’s errors to score their goals.
Tougher tests surely await – Belgium also lurk in Group E – but those opponents may not find it easy to break Romania down with star player Dragusin in this form. Joe Shread
Will Belgium ever live up to the hype?
Image: Romelu Lukaku was twice denied by VAR as Belgium fell to shock loss in Group E opener
Perhaps Belgium are cursed. Perhaps unlucky. Or maybe this ‘golden generation’ simply isn’t as good as the hype – or third-place FIFA ranking – suggests. Whatever the intricacy or issue, they don’t seem to perform as predicted on the big stage.
Romelu Lukaku was wasteful, Kevin de Bruyne off-colour, Leandro Trossard ineffective. All over the pitch, in fact, Domenico Tedesco’s side underwhelmed, and that’s despite creating four ‘big chances’ and an xG of 1.91.
Game by game, the shine is flaking off what remains of Belgium’s reputation as one of Europe’s stellar sides. This is a team of individuals, far from a comprehensive unit of tournament winners.
And yet, there was something unjust about their opening game defeat. For all the obvious shortcomings, Lukaku did have the ball in the back of the net twice. The first was ruled offside, and so little argument can be made.
The second decision, however, jarred far more. This is the type of officiating that has drawn suspicion and skeptics in the Premier League, deemed by many as ‘re-refereeing’ – there is justification for both sides.
Lois Openda did handle the ball, but does that mean it’s handball? The rule is subjective, of course, but many believe this brand of VAR intervention to be a stain on the game. Jury’s out.
Either way, Belgium must improve if they are to avoid a repeat of Euro 2022, crashing out at the competition’s group stage. Laura Hunter
Slovakia veterans help deliver tournament’s first shock
Image: Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Belgium in Euro 2024 Group E
All that was missing from a gripping start to Euro 2024 was a result to upset the apple cart; a result to get the underdogs dreaming. It came in game nine.
Sure, Belgium were denied an equaliser not once but twice after VAR reviews, but they lacked vigour in attack throughout the match and, to an extent, only had themselves to blame.
It was a momentous result for Slovakia as their first win in four attempts against Belgium gives them a solid chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.
But also because they achieved it having become only the second nation in European Championship history to name three players in their starting line-up who were aged 35 or older.
France did it at Euro 2008 with Gregory Coupet, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram – and now Slovakia have matched it with Peter Pekarik (37), Juraj Kucka (37) and Martin Dubravka (35), who all played the entirety in Frankfurt.
Pekarik had a solid game at right-back and Juraj Kucka offered a decent enough threat in the middle of the park, but the pick of the bunch was Newcastle stopper Dubravka, whose five saves prevented 1.03 goals being scored by the Red Devils.
Albeit with a slice of luck, Francesco Calzona’s Falcons have passed what was thought to be the toughest test they would face in the group stages and their old guard have strengthened the case for age being nothing but a number. Dan Long
Rory McIlroy has commented for the first time since his US Open final-round heartbreak, tweeting he will take a few weeks away from the game after his ‘toughest day as a professional golfer’.
McIlroy bogeyed three of his final four holes at Pinehurst No 2 on Sunday as he finished second at a major for the fourth time since winning the PGA Championship in 2014.
Having led by two shots at one point, McIlroy missed two par putts from inside four feet over the closing stretch as Bryson DeChambeau ultimately claimed the title by one stroke.
McIlroy posted on X on Monday evening: “Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer.
“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that.
A look back at the big misses that cost McIlroy a first major in 10 years on a dramatic final day of the US Open
“As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I’ll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.
“As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have.
“The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I’ve shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.
Paul McGinley believes McIlroy’s drought in golf’s major tournaments is due to ‘not taking initiative’ but Brandel Chamblee thinks it’s because his swing isn’t as good as it used to be
“I’m going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defence of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. See you in Scotland.”
The former world No 1 now has 21 top-10s in majors since his 2014 victory at Valhalla, which is more than any other player in that period.
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As Scotland look to recover from their nightmare start to Euro 2024, Sky Sports News reporter Luke Shanley assesses their chances of making it past the group stages for the first time…
Ouch! That was sore. The focus of world football was on Munich on Friday, Scotland were centre stage and boy did we get stage fright.
From start to finish, we were not at the races. We didn’t get near Germany in all aspects of the game. No player got pass marks and it was an awful night for Scotland.
Image: Scotland were left humbled as they conceded five goals for the first time in a competitive match in more than 20 years
We were playing the hosts, we were playing a Germany side that is littered with talent and we did go down to 10 men, but the reality is 10 men or 11 men, we got a hammering.
Let’s not forget though, Scotland can still get out of this group, but it will be difficult.
Early in Steve Clarke’s tenure, Scotland did lose back-to-back games 4-0 against Belgium and Russia but that was the low point and start of the resurgence that has witnessed Scotland reaching back-to-back European Championships.
Kris Boyd discusses who he would start in Scotland’s second Euro 2024 fixture against Switzerland.
Callum McGregor said Switzerland and Hungary will “smell blood” given Scotland’s performance against Germany and he might be right, but it is about how Scotland put right the many wrongs from Friday. Clarke addressed the media on Sunday, he didn’t have to but wanted to.
He wanted to put the negativity of Germany to bed so we can all move on and focus on the huge game against Switzerland.
In reality, it was always going to be the case that Scotland would probably lose to Germany and focus would shift to the Switzerland and Hungary games. The nature of the performance and result in Munich means that you can’t simply write off what happened against Germany.
Image: Ryan Porteous was sent off shortly before half-time for his follow-through on Ilkay Gundogan
Defensively Scotland must improve. Looking back to the start of the qualification campaign and Scotland won their first five games keeping four clean sheets, conceding just once to an Erling Haaland penalty in Oslo. That included the 2-0 win over Spain at Hampden Park which was an excellent example of getting the game plan right.
Scotland need to somehow rediscover that form and defensive resilience. Scotland have conceded 26 goals since then keeping just one clean sheet, that was against Gibraltar earlier this month in Faro.
Scotland were up against tough opponents in some of the friendlies, they conceded three to England, four to France and another four against Netherlands. Changes were made during those games too but when it really mattered against Germany, they were 2-0 down in the opening 20 minutes. Clarke needs to change things at the back anyway due to Ryan Porteous’ red card.
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke explains who he will now approach their next game at the Euros against Switzerland and who he will be supporting when England take on Serbia.
The Scotland boss said he had to give Porteous a cuddle to show his support as he did to others in the squad but also had to “kick some backsides” too.
Will Clarke change formation and go to a back four? That is an option at his disposal, but he was giving nothing away in an otherwise open media conference in which he showed his dry wit. Many feel Billy Gilmour will come back in after only featuring as a substitute on Friday. All the players will have a point to prove.
Just look at the last Euros when Scotland lost their opening game to Czech Republic at Hampden Park and had to go to Wembley and get a least a point despite being written off. They got the point and could have earned all three on another night as they clung on to hopes of getting out of the group.
Image: Will Billy Gilmour be handed a Scotland start against Switzerland?
It wasn’t to be in the end, but it will require something like that to keep alive hopes of the four points Clarke talks about needing to progress. Remember at Wembley, Clarke was bold. Two up front, Gilmour made his first competitive start and Keiran Tierney was back from injury. The perfect example of a phrase he used on Thursday, “respect everyone, fear no one”. They need to prove it now and not just say it.
The last time Scotland won a game at a major championship was Euro 96 at Villa Park against Switzerland. Ally McCoist’s cracker allied with England’s comfortable lead at Wembley against Netherlands had us believing we could qualify out of the group that night, but we would be eliminated on goals scored after Patrick Kluivert squeezed in his effort through David Seaman’s legs. Talk about bittersweet.
This time it has to be no regrets; it has to be a positive result.
The Scotland players had some downtime on Sunday and went up the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. Reaching the peak is one thing, they now have to climb a big footballing mountain, but they still have the chance to make history and prove the doubters wrong.
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Jude Bellingham knows England have some “negatives to rub out” but believes there is more to come as he focused on the positives after Gareth Southgate’s side dug deep to win Sunday’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.
Among the favourites to triumph in Germany having finished runners-up three years ago, they flew out the blocks in Gelsenkirchen as they began this summer’s quest for glory.
Bellingham’s powerful early header put dominant England in control, but Serbia stepped up after the break and Southgate’s side were made to sweat as they saw out a 1-0 win.
The result puts them top of Group C and Sunday’s man of the match batted back the suggestion that the first half showed why they can win the Euros and second period why they may fall just short.
“No, not quite – I don’t agree with that,” Bellingham said. “I think the first half shows why we can score goals against any team, and the second half shows why we can keep a clean sheet against any team.
“I think obviously, commonly with the team, there’s a negative theme around all our games. You know, sometimes rightly so. But I think in this case you take the positives from the fact that, OK, maybe we had to hold on at times and suffer a little bit, but we kept a clean sheet.
Lee Hendrie analyses England’s performance as Gareth Southgate’s side beat Serbia 1-0 in their Euro 2024 opener
“When you keep clean sheet all you have to do is score one goal to win the game. It’s three points, I think this team is still so new, gelling together with every game.
“So, yeah, I think inside the changing room we’ll be happy with that. Of course, there will be negatives that we want to kind of rub out but overall I’m pleased with that performance.”
It’s not a role he’s done much before but he showed great discipline and moments of his fabulous passing range. We’re learning with him in this role and he showed some of the attributes we want. Whoever we play in there, we’ll be playing a young or inexperienced player in there. It was great to see him come through this test.
‘I feel I can impact and decide games’
Jude Bellingham’s goal celebration with Trent Alexander-Arnold against Serbia explained!
Bellingham starred as England won a fourth straight tournament opener, showing strength, skill and confidence against physical opponents.
Put to the 20-year-old that he seems unfazed as he looks to help the Euro 2020 runners-up go one better, he said: “I just enjoy playing football.
“When it comes to each and every game, I take it as a single game, as opposed to looking too far into the future. I realise that in every game I feel like I can make an impact, I feel like I can decide games.
England fans across the country celebrate Jude Bellingham’s goal in their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia
“But that happens on any given game instead of looking too far into the future.
“The truth is that I really enjoy playing football, so when I go out there I play with the fearlessness because I love doing it so much.
“It’s a release for me and it’s my favourite thing to do in the world, so when I play, it’s not much of a job. It feels like a pleasure.”
Southgate: Bellingham ‘writes his own script’ as he lifts England to opening win
Lee Hendrie describes Jude’s Bellingham’s performance in England’s victory over Serbia as ‘remarkable’
Southgate said star midfielder Bellingham “writes his own script” after helping England make a winning start to the tournament.
“Look, this team is still coming together,” manager Southgate said. “Everybody is expecting us to waltz through but there is a lot of hard work ahead.
Image: Jude Bellingham starred in England’s 1-0 win over Serbia at Euro 2024
“We’re short of certain things, we’re finding best possible solutions.
“We’ve had a very complicated run-in to all of this, but the spirit of the group was there for everybody to see tonight and we’ll definitely grow from that.”
Jude is an unbelievable player. He deserves all the praise, the confidence he plays with and the way he affects games. It’s important for players that play in his position to get goals and assists. He finished it off nicely.
Bellingham epitomised the spirit and skill England will need to go deep in the tournament, with Southgate full of praise for the matchwinner.
“He writes his own script,” he told the BBC. “The timing of his runs. It was a super bit of play in the build-up of his play. I think all of our forward players looked really good.
Image: Jude Bellingham celebrates after heading England in front against Serbia
“I am confident we will score goals. Playing against a back five, it is not easy to create chances and we did.
“I liked the fact we had to suffer without the ball because that is an area we have worked on a lot this week. We were obviously much better than last week at doing that.”
Bellingham and Southgate positive after midfield experiment
Bellingham played in a midfield three on Sunday with Declan Rice and Alexander-Arnold, who has been converted from right-back, against Serbia.
Whether that balance is right will be debated ahead of Thursday’s match against Denmark, but Bellingham saw promise from the Liverpool man and quality in the Arsenal midfielder.
“I loved it,” Bellingham said. “I think we had a great balance with the ball, without the ball, particularly in possession I thought Trent was brilliant.
“He conducts games so well. He’s very calm on the ball. His technique and qualities unmatched, I think, in terms of what he can do with the ball.
“He’s always positive and that really helps someone like me who wants to get on the ball all over the pitch and try and attack their backline.
“So, I look forward to having more minutes with him, enjoying how we can develop and how we can get used to each other’s game, and seeing how far we can take the potential.
“And of course, as always, Dec was fantastic. I think he’s one of the best in the world in that position. He’s a joy.”
Southgate was also pleased with how his Alexander-Arnold experiment went, praising the Liverpool star’s performance.
“I was really pleased,” he said. “Of course, Jude has such a prominent role, but he goes forward a lot and Trent had to cover a lot of spaces. That is not a role he’s done very often at all.
“I thought he showed great discipline. He showed some moments of that fabulous passing range that he has, the shot on goal as well.
“We’re obviously learning with him in this role, but I thought he showed some of the attributes that he can bring.
“Whatever we do in there, we’re going to be playing a young player or an inexperienced player, so it was great to see him come through that test.”
‘England need to find a way to change things’
Paul Merson admits he was ‘bored’ by large parts of England’s performance in their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson:
“What we saw has been the norm for the last few years now.
“England started so well. For the first 15 minutes or so they were outstanding. They were patient, passed the ball well and there was plenty of movement. There was a lot of good play.
“They then got the goal and then got bored. They got bored of keeping the ball. We started losing possession and giving the ball away cheaply and it allowed Serbia to get on top towards the end of the first half.
Image: Harry Kane evades a challenge from Nikola Milenkovic
“Luckily, half-time came for England but they never really got going again after the break. Towards the end of the game, I thought the players were hiding. There’s was no-one who really wanted the ball like a Bellingham did while he was on the pitch.
“We never seem to know how to change things in a game. We start games well and then everything slows down and we don’t play so well, but we can never get that from not good to good again. It stays at that level for the rest of the game.
“We’ve got to learn and find a way to change things. However, this is a good result. There’s still a lot to be worked on, but it’s three points and with the other game a draw, we are in control of the group.
“What it probably has done is brought the fans down a peg or two, including me. This won’t be as easy as I thought it was going to be for England.”
Analysis: Familiar concerns emerge for England
Image: Phil Foden had a tricky evening against Serbia
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith:
“England fans have seen this match before. A fast start followed by the team relinquishing control and Southgate sitting on his subs has become a familiar pattern. Against Serbia – and on plenty of previous occasions – England have found a way to get over the line. But it’s hardly a recipe for tournament glory.
“England went from convincing to concerning in this opening game. The authority and dominance of the opening half hour turned to panic by the end, as Serbia stepped it up.
“For all the talk about England’s attacking assets in this squad, they were once again dropping deep and hanging on for the final whistle. It was hardly the hallmark of European champions in waiting.
“But three points are on the board. A place in the knockouts is almost assured. And there is time to find a way to play with their early swagger for 90 minutes. But that approach has to come from the top. Southgate needs to set that tone.”
The key dates for England
Image: Kane had a frustrating evening against Serbia
All times BST
Thursday June 20 – Denmark vs England, Frankfurt, kick-off 5pm
Tuesday June 25 – England vs Slovenia, kick-off 8pm
Richard Riakporhe never planned on defeat. But he suffered a painful loss when challenging Chris Billam-Smith for the WBO cruiserweight title on Saturday.
The setback will be all the more difficult for him to process as the loss he never envisaged taking occurred in front of his home fans at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium.
Billam-Smith brought all his experience to bear to make sure of a clear unanimous decision win, but that was the Londoner’s first world championship bout and he will learn from it.
Andy Scott and John Dennen deliver their verdict on Chris Billam-Smith’s win over Richard Riakporhe and wonder how far he can go in the sport.
When Riakporhe does return he will have options. He remains a big, physical cruiserweight and is a noted power-puncher.
In fact, Riakporhe is so big he could certainly move up in weight and if he does leave the division, he has a ready-made rival in Hackney’s Lawrence Okolie.
The two already have a feud, which includes a past altercation at a film premiere.
Okolie used to hold the WBO cruiserweight title and lost it to Billam-Smith last year. He then moved up to the new ‘bridgerweight’ division, a weight class at 224lbs that is only recognised by the WBC and the WBA.
Even before boxing Billam-Smith, Riakporhe had a sense that he could outgrow the division.
Chris Billam-Smith defended his WBO cruiserweight world title against Richard Riakporhe with a unanimous decision win at Selhurst Park.
“There’s bridgerweight now,” he told Sky Sports when speculating about his future.
“The WBA have bridgerweight and there’s the WBC. Okolie’s the champion as well, so that’s even more fights, and then we’ve got the heavyweight which is practically the same thing. [Oleksandr] Usyk is pretty much a bridgerweight, [Deontay] Wilder’s been a bridgerweight.”
Okolie knocked out the WBC’s champion at that weight, Lukasz Rozanski, beating him in just one round in the Pole’s hometown of Rzeszow to take the belt.
Riakporhe commended that performance. “He did really well and congratulations to him. I was happy for him as well because I heard he’d been through a lot. Even when he was having the fight with Chris Billam-Smith, a lot of people don’t know,” he said. “A lot of things were going on.
“That’s what we want,” he added. “I wouldn’t want to fight a half-pint Okolie.”
Billam-Smith want to fight in America and targets a Gilberto Ramirez world title unification after Richard Riakporhe triumph at Selhurst Park.
Renewing that rivalry, though, was certainly a target for him.
“I would like that,” Riakporhe said. “I would really like that. I think that would be great for London. East versus south. The build up would be crazy and a lot of people want to see that fight.
“When Okolie went up, I was looking at the social media comments and everybody was upset. Why? Because they wanted to see me versus Okolie. We can rekindle that.”
